🔗 Share this article

2K Games has appointed a seasoned producer from the creators of Apex Legends to direct the studio crew at 31st Union, which is currently developing the anticipated over-the-shoulder action-packed title known as this innovative game.

Leadership Shift Follows Mixed Feedback

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the exit of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' disappointing initial reveal last autumn.

On Wednesday, the company's top executive a key figure updated staff about this decision through an internal memo, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the requirement for a more defined vision.

Ismailer noted that the team is now overhauling Project Ethos with a revised vision, aiming to address player expectations.

A Pattern of Key Hires

The news echoes a similar step taken by the publisher in the summer, when they recruited Rod Fergusson from Blizzard to work on the BioShock development group.

Below is the complete text from the president's memo:

Hello Everyone—

I know you all just finished your town hall - I hope you’re as enthusiastic as I am with the positive developments. Previously I sent you all a note, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this team. You all are some of the most motivated and innovative developers we have had the pleasure to partner with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to continue.”

With your dedication and flexibility, especially over the past twelve months, you consistently demonstrate that.

The player input from last fall’s the game demo was informative. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It revealed the need for a more distinct vision.

The progress is encouraging to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the criticism to mind and overhauled the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s positioned to deliver on its potential to our fans.

The belief in this project grows every day. To advance the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce Ben Brinkman as the new Director of the team. Following some time of conversations, he comes aboard us on next week.

Ben’s leadership and experience in the competitive gaming field is vast, having dedicated the recent years developing and leading some of the most popular franchises in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more recently, the battle royale hit.

Let’s together in greeting him in the coming days. We are all excited to persist seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to ahead.

David

Experience of the New Head

The appointee presently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for Apex Legends. Brinkman earlier was employed at major gaming companies in various development positions on the iconic franchise series, and, prior to that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Concept

The upcoming game was announced in October 2024 together with a public demo. Initially, the developers presented the title as a "free-to-play, third-person perspective roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the official summary states. "Face the rivals with unique powers, challenges, and challenges that change every session. Do you safely extract with your valuable rewards? Alternatively go big, gamble everything, and trust your group can achieve the highest spot? The option is in your hands."

Project Ethos has not yet received an confirmed debut schedule or platforms, but fans can look forward to additional details as development advances.